A specimen measurement apparatus is used to analyze a test sample prepared from a specimen and a reagent to thereby detect an objective substance in the specimen qualitatively or quantitatively. The specimen measurement apparatus measures the test sample optically or electrically.
For example, the specimen measurement apparatus optically measures the test sample, and detects an immunologically active substance such as antigen and antibody in the specimen. This immunological test includes a plurality of steps, and the time required for each step is determined in advance.
The required times for these steps are often determined uniformly to guarantee the measurement sensitivity. Therefore, depending on a test substance or a test item, the sufficient time required to achieve the object of a step may be less than a set time determined in advance. However, the required time for the step is not changed from the set time even in such a case, and accordingly, is longer than the sufficient time required. In this way, in the conventional immunological test, the steps do not always flow well from one to the next at a suitable timing, and thus the test may take more time than necessary.